The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday pledged INR 51 crores to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) as the country braces for coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 27,000 lives worldwide. The number of cases has reached more than 600,000 globally.
The BCCI "along with the affiliated state associations on Saturday announced to donate INR 51 crores to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) to contribute towards strengthening the nation’s disaster management capacities and encourage research to combat COVID-19 and protect Indian citizens.
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"The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-1) is first and foremost a public health emergency and the BCCI has a firm resolve that the nation gets all possible help to cope with the testing times.
"The BCCI will contribute to Hon’ble Prime Minister’s initiative which is a dedicated national fund (PM-CARES Fund) with the primary objective of dealing with emergency or distress situations.
"The Board along with its state associations will continue to monitor and work closely with the Government of India, state governments and other state regulatory bodies and are committed to providing support to the state machinery in the face of adversity," the BCCI said in a statement.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the creation of PM-CARES Fund where people can contribute to help the government fight against coronavirus and similar "distressing situations".
"People from all walks of life expressed their desire to donate to India's war against COVID-19," he said.
Respecting that spirit, the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) has been constituted he said.
This will go a long way in creating a healthier India, he wrote on Twitter.
"It is my appeal to my fellow Indians, kindly contribute to the PM-CARES Fund. This Fund will also cater to similar distressing situations, if they occur in the times ahead," he said.
